Non-glycanated Decorin Is a Drug Target on Human Adipose Stromal Cells

Adipose stromal cells (ASCs) have been identified as a mesenchymal cell population recruited from white adipose tissue (WAT) by tumors and supporting cancer progression. We have previously reported the existence of a non-glycanated decorin isoform (ngDCN) marking mouse ASCs. We identified a peptide CSWKYWFGEC that binds to ngDCN and hence can serve as a vehicle for ASC-directed therapy delivery. We used hunter-killer peptides composed of CSWKYWFGEC and a pro-apoptotic moiety to deplete ASCs and suppress growth of mouse tumors. Here, we report the discovery of the human non-glycanated decorin isoform. We show that CSWKYWFGEC can be used as a probe to identify ASCs in human WAT and tumors. We demonstrate that human ngDCN is expressed on ASC surface. Finally, we validate ngDCN as a molecular target for pharmacological depletion of human ASCs with hunter-killer peptides. We propose that ngDCN-targeting agents could be developed for obesity and cancer treatment.